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 Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 3:31 pm
The shadow of her form mingled into the shadows of the plant life around her, her eyes were closed, her cheeks wet with shed tears as she took a calming breath. This was her only place, that she felt she was free of his gaze, which made her feel ashamed.
Her hidden place was where the waters glowed in the moonlight, there was an algae in the water that made it seem to glow, plants grew larger than normal around this area, and it was only used by her, mixed with the right plants it was a wonderful healing water so she kept it a secret from all but the King, he seemed to be her only real friend.
She curled her tail around her paws, dual colors eyes opened and gazed, in a dazed fashion out into the water, one eye the color of fresh spring grass, and the other a blue that matched the waters before her.
It wasn't long before Ruh, her avian, a gift was perched above her on a tree, keeping look out for his compaion.
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Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:52 pm
Kaneon was out, wandering aimlessly. It wasn't that he was idle, mind you. He often walked alone, preferring the twilight hours, but needing to roam at many different hours to find what he was actually searching for. He'd discovered that actively hunting for materials tended to wear him out and result in very few items to craft with. Instead, as he had settled in, he learned that merely wandering the pride's lands often opened up treasures for him to discover. Shed feathers beneath an abandoned nest. Brightly colored berries that were poison if eaten. Glimmering hearts of broken rocks at the base of a waterfall.
So it was tonight, as gloom fell beneath the trees, he let his paws take him where they would. He did not find his materials by being not being alert, however. His ears pricked at the sound of what seemed like the tail end of a sob. Big though he was, his heart was soft as river clay. An unhappy soul was something he could never turn away from. He approached slowly but steadily. Sneaking was a bad idea, and could give the wrong impression, particularly if the one crying was of the warrior-type. No, instead he moved with slow, purposeful steps, allowing leaves to rustle as he pushed past, and twigs to snap beneath his paws.
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:27 am
Ruh caught the sounds early, his head twisted around to see who was disturbing his mistress. With a caw, he took flight to make sure it wasn't her mate to make her further upset, but upon finding it Kaneon, he simply returned to his perch silent.
Satomi heard the caw, before the sounds of the other. She'd been found, and her head dropped, surely her mate had not followed her to this place? She'd not let him taint it, cheeks damp from shed tears, she stood waiting to defend it from his dark heart. Though, the shame she felt for taking such a stance, only made her choke on more sobs, how could she act in such a way?! It was unforgiveable..
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 10:53 am
"Hello?" he called softly as he neared the sounds of the other, but before he could see who it was. He could see the general form, flashes of color, as he approached. He stepped around a plant with huge, wide leaves, and finally saw who might be in need of comfort.
The sight wrenched his heart, filling him with surprise, delight, dismay, and a great deal of concern. It was the beautiful Satomi, sister of their King and his secret crush. He caught his breath and resisted the urge to dart over and embrace her in comfort. It would be unseemly, and could frighten her. He'd rather tear out his own tail than ever bring harm or unhappiness to this lioness, so he approached slowly and carefully, using a gentle voice he used usually with distressed cubs.
"Greetings, sister," he bowed his head, then lowered himself to the ground. He reclined and regarded her mildly. "I am sorry to see such unhappiness in your eyes. Is there anything I can do?" His tone was genuine, his expression gentle, and the angle of his head invited her to confide in the quiet lion.
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:03 pm
As Kaneon appeared, she relaxed, her demonor changed quiet quickly as she took a deep, calming breath and gave him a gentle smile. "I see you, brother." She greeted with a gentle nod of her head.
"Unhappiness is when duty over rules ones heart, do not make my mistake..and mate for love." She said, but the minute the words were out, she felt a pang in her heart. She was a failure as a mate, to speak such a way, regardless of her reasons for taking the Kings brother as her mate, she did not love him.
Only the King knew the truth, possibly her mate as well but as far as she knew, it was only the King.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:36 pm
He fiercely and instantly quelled an uprising of hope and joy to hear her say she did not love her mate. Though noone spoke of it, there had not been any clear affection between them recently. It was one thing to hope in the deep, private places of his heart, but quite another to hear her speak such words to him. But now was not at all the time to give wings to his heart. Right here and now, it was all about her and her well-being.
"I am sad to hear love has not graced your bonding," he replied calmly, his tone gentle and genuine. "The pain of my sister is my own pain," he added, extending one paw her direction. "I will not press you for what is not mine to know, but what you tell me is yours to keep. I do not share confidences, once they are spoken." This was entirely true. Every word ever whispered to his sympathetic ear remained locked within him, never breathed or hinted at to anyone. It was earning him a reputation as a shoulder to cry on and an ear to vent to.
"I am open to listen and comfort as you need." This last was said so soft, so tenderly, it might have revealed more of his inner feelings than he intended. Though he held her eyes as he said it, he dropped his gaze to arrange his paws to cross each other more comfortably, giving her room and time to choose to speak or not, as she would.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:57 pm
She shook her head, her gaze clouded by thoughts that often clouded her mind, shame mingled into this gaze. "No, love was never a true thought when I stepped into this union...cept the love for my pride." She said as her gaze fell onto the water.
"His heart is twisted, and black...the hate that has filled him almost burns me with his touch." She shuddered for a moment, her heart ached with pangs of guilt and shame. "I cannot heal him..I cannot seem to help him either. His eyes are so tightly closed.." She shook her head, and let it hang for a moment.
"I do not mean to share my burdens with you Kaneon, these are no ones burdens but my own to shoulder." She said softly as she turned her gaze onto him, and held his own softly.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:18 pm
It alarmed him to hear the insight of one so close to the king's brother. This was not merely a lovelorn sadness, but a distress born of being bound to evil. This was not the way. Not at all. Driven by concern for her as well as for the pride itself, he rose and moved closer. Though he longed to wrap his paw about her and pull her close in comfort, he restrained the urge. instead, he leaned over to rub cheek to cheek, a gesture of sibling to sibling.
"You are not alone, Satomi," he spoke with gentle sternness. "I know you feel alone, facing such darkness in one so close to you. But you are not alone." He swallowed a wave of grief that she should suffer so. "You cannot make his eyes open if he does not wish them to. It is not our way to force such." He nosed her under the chin in support, daring more physical contact with her than he ever had before, but caring only that her heart be lightened. "You have done what you could, it is he who betrays you, not you him."
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:26 pm
She nuzzled his cheek gently, her heart ached for more than what she had. For a second, she let it fill with the presense of another, her eyes closed as she sighed softly. She could only continue to try, to heal his dark heart, and to keep peace in the pride she loved, but she knew...that his rage would bubble over soon.
And that rage is what she feared.
She nuzzled her head under his chin, she purred gently, leaning herself against his form for a moment. Just enjoying this second when she didnt have to worry about him striking out at those she loved most. "One day, and one day soon I fear he'll no longer hide his hate and rage for his brother and the pride..." She shivered now, fear sliding over her spirit and heart. "I will have to try to save him." She said softly, she knew that it wouldn't be the best choice, but she had to do it..
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:39 pm
It startled him that she so willingly accepted his affection, returning it threefold. He almost physically trembled, fighting with himself to not enjoy it as he wished he could. He steeled himself, focusing on her need for a shelter in her storm. He was a tree in that storm, one she could lean safely against. Calming his inner battle, he gently laid a paw on her shoulder, embracing her without intimacy. Having conquered himself, her presence was a pleasant warmth, which he secretly savored for a moment.
But her last words were like ice down his belly. She would defend him? He drew a slow breath, thinking hard. He never would question supporting his king, but she needed him too. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to find the balance within himself. "I cannot say I will support your mate, should such a day come," he said slowly, "but you can always count on me to stand with you, should you need me." He fervently hoped, knowing now that the king's brother carried such potential for chaos, that he would not drag Satomi down with him. He sighed deeply. "I wish with all my heart I could promise no harm would come to you, but I can promise I will do everything in my power to keep you safe." He was not aware he had actually spoken those whispered words, thinking so deeply on the situation as he was, but spoken them aloud he had.
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Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:57 pm
She shook her head rapidly, "I could never support him in such a manner, but I would beg his life be spared. Even as his heart is dark and filled with hate...he was once not that way. " She could never justify the death of another life, no matter the reason. "His life, is just as precious as any one else's, even my own." She said with a solemn nod.
She believed in her oaths she'd taken to take the rank she continued to hold, and one day her own heir would take her place.
She looked up at him now, the bond of friendship she'd always felt for this kind lion, was..changing. A change, she couldn't afford to risk...should her mate find out, it could be dangerous to him. "I could never willingly let you place yourself in danger for me..It would hurt a great deal to much to lose you." She offered quietly to him, an almost tender confession of her own silent feelings.
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:30 pm
This whole encounter was turning out to be astonishing on so many levels. He gazed down at her and gave her a gentle squeeze. He did not express his feelings with any other outward movement, but momentarily did not try to mask the love and adoration from his eyes. She was such a brave and selfless lioness! If her fool of a mate could not see this, he did not deserve her. But she was still his, and he respected that.
He couldn't think of anything appropriate to say in answer to her, so opted for lightness instead. "Oh, I'll try my best to keep my hide intact," he replied drily, releasing her amiably. "I tend to avoid things that mar my prettiness." He didn't often joke, but found it to be useful to ease tension sometimes with those he spoke with. He fluttered his eyelashes, held a paw to his chest, and looked up and to the right, parodying a dreamy female. He held the pose for a moment to make her laugh, then dropped the act and smiled at her again. "It will all work out," he told her softly. "Somehow." He didn't know how, but he trusted in the statement as a truth. She surely would not be burdened forever with being bonded to such a hateful mate.
He rose to his paws, glancing off into the foliage. "Sadly, I must leave you now, sister," he said with regret, turning back to her. "I came to seek materials for my crafting, and that still needs doing." It was a convenient reason to leave her without awkwardness. He took two steps towards the deeper forest, then paused to turn back to her. "Should you ever need me, regardless of what you might need, leave me a white feather in my workshop, and I will find you here." With a last bow of his head, he turned and slipped off into the deeper shadows, picking his way carefully into the night.
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:51 pm
She couldnt help but laugh, and feel lighter with it. She smiled and shook her head with a slight roll of her eyes, what a guy she thought with a flick of her ear, some day someone was going to see what a gem he was, and snatch him up..she felt saddened by this thought but shrugged it away as she nodded her head to his final words.
Ruh fluttered down from his perch, landing on her shoulder he nuzzled into her cheek with a soft chirping coo, as he too watched the male walk away...hoping not to lose to many feathers now.
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